Potiphar’s Wife
“…Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded. But Joseph refused. “Look,” he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God. ”She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work. She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, “Come on, sleep with me!” Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house. When she saw that she was holding his cloak and he had fled, she called out to her servants. Soon all the men came running. “Look!” she said. “My husband has brought this Hebrew slave here to make fools of us! He came into my room to rape me, but I screamed. When he heard me scream, he ran outside and got away, but he left his cloak behind with me. She kept the cloak with her until her husband came home.” (Genesis 39:6-16)
What ignites the first spark of a lustful thought or gaze? When our cravings and longing are not fulfilled in Christ, they often seek satisfaction elsewhere. This often manifests as some form of sexual desire. A glance look from a lustful eye can unleash a flood of fantasies about an individual. Before we realize it, we may have already engaged in an emotional affair with them in our thoughts and feelings. “But I say, anyone who even looks at a man with lust has already committed adultery with him in her heart.” (Matt. 5:28 emphasized) This desire can quickly escalate, leading us to pursue whatever it takes to fulfill our wants. This yearning drives us to take control of our passions’ narrative. It is shaped by what we see and imagine. We pursue this at all costs.
This passage reveals that Potiphar’s wife insisted Joseph come to her and sleep with her. It was not a mere request or suggestion; it was a directive. In these opening verses, we can see her desire to manipulate the situation. She wants to emphasize their relationship and exert control over him. She steers the conversation and shapes the environment. She asserts her superiority over him. These traits reveal the characteristics of having a spirit of Jezebel.
Potiphar’s wife demeaned Joseph by trying to lure him onto her bed. She might have thought, “Isn’t he just a Jew and a slave? He works for my husband, which means he works for me too. With my husband absent, I hold the power, and Joseph is my subordinate. He must obey me.” She views Joseph as an object. She does not see him as a human being. When he rejects her advance, she soon turns on him. It’s crucial to pause and think. We must think about the times we have exploited others. This happens due to our lack of self-control and sense of superiority.
Exercise self-control is crucial for truly reflecting the Fruits of the Spirit! Without the indwelling of Christ’s spirit in our lives, we can’t genuinely access His self-control. This self-control serves as the foundation for His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, and gentleness. (Gal. 5:22-23) In its absence, we face a counterfeit of Christ’s spirit. When we do not wholeheartedly commit our heart, soul, mind, and strength to Christ, we open the door to exploitation. This struggle does not always start with evil contempt.
Testimony: I remember a trip where our team leader was a remarkable man of God. At that time, my husband and I were still working through the challenges of our healing journey. As I listened to this leader speak, I felt drawn to the spirit he carried. Suddenly, troubling thoughts began to invade my mind. “Why can’t your husband be like him? Why are you wasting time fighting for a marriage when there’s someone who already has everything you need?” I tried to diminish these thoughts. Nevertheless, the enemy knew the desires of my heart for my marriage. He continued to exploit my vulnerability. The intrusive thought persisted as I began to envision this leader alongside me. At that moment, the Holy Spirit intervened, saying, “Angie, what are you doing?” I quickly refocused and ran to my room! I fell to my knees and began to cry. Father, forgive me! I began to repent and asked the Holy Spirit to clean my heart, mind, soul, and spirit. I asked Him to cut off all the lies the enemy had used against me. These were lies meant to ensnare me and jeopardize our marriage. When I returned home, I told my husband what had happened. This assured me that the doors I opened were completely obliterated!
The significance of the Holy Spirit in our journey with Christ can’t be overstated. Joseph’s ability to withstand the advances of Potiphar’s wife stemmed from the fulfillment he found in his relationship with Christ. He faced temptation but did not yearn for it. His heart was already satisfied. This satisfaction enabled him to stand firm against such challenges. Our ultimate goal is to immerse ourselves so deeply in Christ that temptation loses its allure completely. We find ourselves lacking nothing! This means the enemy has no bait that can lure us in. We won’t get hooked!
Joseph made every effort to steer clear of Potiphar’s wife, ultimately fleeing from her when her persistence became too much. At times, simply trying to sidestep temptation isn’t enough. We must actively escape from it. This is especially true when the allure is strong, as it often is with sexual temptation. “Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.” (2 Tim. 2:22)We either yearn for God’s will or indulge in the illusion that we can manage our own lives. Like Potiphar’s wife, the spirit of Jezebel seeks to dominate everyone and everything!
Reflecting on what you desire, crave, and long for reveals what spirit guides you. Do you surrender or do you seek to exert control? Take a moment for self-reflection. The toughest truths to face are often those we refuse to acknowledge. Do I desire to control Relationships, Money, and Governance? What about Information, Leadership, and Conversations? Or Platforms, Narrative, and Agenda? Do I wish to control Time, Decisions, and Environment? This includes Family, your image, and energy. Furthermore, sexuality and God?
Prayer,
Heavenly Father, I come before you today seeking clarity about my true desires and yearnings. Reveal the areas if my life that do not reflect your nature. Help me to identify and turn away from my struggles with self-control, which I am all too familiar with. Lead me away from the snares that the enemy sets to pull me back into old habits, especially the influence of the Jezebel spirit. I renounce any connection to this spirit and replace it with the Fruits of the Spirit. Holy Spirit, I surrender my life completely to you. I ask for your forgiveness for anyone, including…(name), whom I have tried to manipulate or control for my own benefit. I forgive myself for being deceived and deceitful. I release the shame and any negative feelings I carry from my past actions. I renounce who I was and I claim who you say I am. The Holy Spirit is the only one who has permission to be Lord over my life. I am a daughter fully surrendered to the Lord on Height- Jesus Christ! I desire, crave, and long only for you! AMEN!
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